This is only a test
by Sheankelor
Summary: Lady Hemera is back. For all those who met her in the Silver Millennium with Hotaru and Haruka, here is a little back story. Written for the Original Character month in SMMFC in LJ. Please let me know if you enjoy!
1. Bad Judgement

Title: Bad judgment  
Author: Ree  
Theme: Original Characters(Impossible : day 6)  
Genre: General  
Version: Silver Millennium (Fates storyline universe)  
Rating: G

Here is a little back story for Lady Hemera. 

Bad judgment 

_AN: Lady Hemera is the aunt of Sailor Saturn, but before that she was a princess of Saturn. Here is a bit of her story._

Princess Hemera stood quietly in her father's audience chamber. The king was glaring down at the muddy, scrapped up child in front of him. The thing he noticed the most about his youngest child was the bright blue-green eyes watching him. There was no fear reflected in them. He shifted his focus to the two guards standing nearby. They were in worse condition than Hemera. Finally he looked to his head guard, and broke the silence that hung thick in the air.

"Train her. If she insists on escaping the guards, then she needs to know how to protect herself."

The Commander Jose barely prevented himself from flinching at the acidic tone. He knew it wasn't him the King was mad at, it was the head strong seven year old. "What shall I train her in, Majesty?"

The King of Saturn focused once again on the defiant child. "Everything."

Hemera felt a small trail of fear slid down her back and take residence in her stomach.

------------------------

Captain Dominic stood over his pupil. He would never let it show, but he was pleased with her progress. He had been dismayed when Commander Jose had informed of his new duty. Stepping back to the side of the salle, he watched as the princess pulled herself back to her feet. With a quick glance he determined that all was in ready.

"Lets do it again." Dominic watched a a look of disbelief flitted across the girls face. _'I know she is tired, but considering how she runs my men ragged every time she escapes, I think she can do it.'_

Hemera stared at him, her bones aching from the last four hours of intense training. The captain's voice taunted her through the haze that was forming in her brain.

"Come on.. You're not ready to give up yet are you? I thought you were training to become one of Queen Serenity's body guards? I've heard it said that it is your fondest wish to run as far away from here as possible, and the Moon Kingdom is about as far as you can get."

The barb stung. _'How did he know? I've never told anyone. I've never said anything at all. I know Father has spies, but I didn't know that they could read minds.'_

Even as the thought finished, she was attacked. Hemera forced herself to move, to fight. She had to protect her dream. Her one desire. To be able leave this place. To find some type of freedom.

Dominic fell back from the princess' attacks. If he didn't know better, he would swear she was fresh. Hemera didn't chase him around the salle, she made him come to her, to the spot of ground she had chosen to protect. Every move she made was an attempt to conserve energy. Then she heard the noises around her. She noted that Captain Dominic was a safe distance away, and spun to see what she was hearing.

Coming out of the vegetation around the practice area were eight armed men, and none of them were wearing the king's livery. Fear coiled and then blossomed in her as they drew their weapons and charged. Backing out of her chosen spot, she moved closer to her teacher. _'At least I know he will help protect me.'_ Her attackers caught up to her before she made it. Swinging her practice blade with all her ability, she fought her way to the haven that Captain Dominic represented. That hope was ripped away from her when she finally made it. The captain joined her attackers. The sense of betrayal almost paralyzed her. _'No! This is impossible. I can't defeat them all. I can't.!"_

With fear giving her strength, Hemera defended herself while she looked for a way to escape. When her blade blocked Dominic's, her feelings of betrayal were written on her face.

Dominic looked into the face of the nine year old, and felt his heart stop. Even as Hemera pushed his blade aside and dodged out of the circle that had formed around her, Dominic knew he had made a grave miscalculation.

Hemera ran. Following paths that even the guards had no clue existed, she fled. Finally, she stopped and crawled under the branches of a low lying bush. Drawing her nicked and splintering practice blade next to her, she started shivering as the adrenaline started to wear off. She fought sleep as long as she could, straining to hear if anyone was following her.

Finally sleep won. The last thing she remembered was the face of the man she was just starting to trust on the other side of her blade.


	2. A King's wrath

Title: A King's wrath - (This is only a test -Part II)  
Author: Ree  
Theme: Original Characters  
Genre: General  
Version: Silver Millennium (Fates storyline universe)  
Rating: G

Here is a little back story for Lady Hemera. 

A King's wrath - (This is only a test -Part II) 

When Hemera woke up, night had fallen. Dragging her sore, protesting body out from under the bush, she headed home. _'I have to warm father. I can't believe I ran away with out warning him.'_ Stealing quietly along the garden paths, she slipped up to the castle wall. Finding her hidden niche, she traded her battered practice blade for one made of steel. Strapping on a small arsenal of throwing knives, she looked up the wall. Glad that the walk have warmed up her muscles, she scaled the wall to her father's study. _'If his is alright, he'll be there.'_ Laying on the small ledge, she peered in. Hemera's heart froze. Captain Dominic was there with her father. Pulling out her knife, she prepared to take him down when she had a clear shot.

The king paced the area in front of his desk. Turning sharply he pinned both the commander of his guards and his daughter's personal weapons trainer with a deadly glare.

"Where is she?" The kings eye's flickered between the two men, finally resting on Dominic. "She was taking her weapons test this afternoon, and she ran off." The statement sounded more like a question. "Did you warn her about the test?"

Dominic resisted looking at his commander, while he did his best not to squirm under the kings frown. Making sure his voice was steady, he answered. "No Sire, she wasn't warned. I felt she was at a high enough skill level to merit the advanced version of the test."

The king's frown fell onto Commander Jose. "And you approved this?"

"Yes Sire, I did. The princess has exceptional skills. She proved that today by defending herself and escaping from overwhelming odds."

The shock was almost sent Hemera off the ledge. _'A test? That was a test?!'_ Memories of the fear, pain, and betrayal flooded through her. Behind it came anger. Shivering from suppressed fury, she watched her father's frown deepen. Her grip on her throwing knife never faltered as she waited for confirmation that this was true.

"Princess Hemera has been warned repeatedly about attackers, assassins, and other similar dangers, and you did not think twice about springing this on her?" Anger and displeasure were laced through the king's words.

Dominic's insides quaked at he thought of answering, but he knew he had to. "Since she knows about those dangers, it was decided that she should face a similar situation, the same way guards face real life situations for their tests."

The King's frown didn't lighten, and his voice turned almost deadly. "But a guard runs to his captain, or another officer. Where does a princess run to? What might her next move be?"

The commander and Dominic paled slightly. Dominic's quickly checked out the room, taking in all the points of cover. When his eyes fell on the window, he felt a chill run through him. Taking care not to be obvious, he shifted so he was not in its direct line of sight.

The commander frowned at Dominic. The captain knew better than to squirm. "I understand Sire. We did not think of all the possibilities. Shall I send a search party out into the countryside?"

Dominic almost shook his head no. _'She's running scared. She won't trust just anybody.'_ He remember the look of betrayal on her face before she ran. _' And least of all, me.'_ The thought hurt. All the trust and repore that he had developed over the past two years was gone.

The king's gaze burned into the two men. "That would be a wise idea. Who knows what a princess fearing a coup will do?"

It was that statement that assured Hemera that all was okay. _'I need to get in and let them know that I'm here. We don't need this to turn into an incident.'_ She imagine the panic a search of the countryside could create. Scanning the wall, she spotted a cracked shutter. _'It's window at the end of the hall.'_ Quietly climbing over to it, she pushed the shutter open and slipped through them.

Dominic head a scrapping sound outside the window. Moving quickly, he spotted a slight figure slipping into the hallway. Spinning sharply, he headed for the door.

The commander watched as he crossed the room. "What is it?"

"Princess Hemera is in the hallway, sir. She just slipped through the window." Dominic pushed ope the door, hoping that he would have time to explain before she killed him. He felt a shove from behind him, sending him off to the side. Commander Jose strode out into the hall. "We don't need her killing you."

Hemera came around the corner as the commander of the guards stepped into the hall. With one hand on her sword and the other on a throwing knife, she waited.

Throwing a quick glance at Dominic, Jose ordered him to stay put. "She's armed." Looking at his princess, he tried to figure out how to explain what had happened. "Your highness, I'm glad to see that you are alright."

Hemera stood silently, waiting for his explanation. The commander didn't have a chance to start. Her father strode into the hall.

Smilig broadly, the king began to congratulate her. "Well done! You passed the test beautifully." He looked over at he commander. "She is now ready to move to specialized training, right?"

Jose quickly removed any trace of surprise off his face. "Yes, sire. As long as her test administrator, Captain Dominic, approves."

Hemera almost smiled at how neatly the two men resolved the situation. _'I still have a lot to learn before I can react that well under pressure.'_

Jose signaled Dominic to step into the hall. "Your opinion Captain?"

Dominic made sure that his face was blank before he step out. Resting a considering look on the princess, he took a moment before answering. _'She looks ... well she actually looks tired and sore... but she found weapons...'_ By the position of her left hand he was sure she was holding a throwing knife. _'... and if she wasn't eavesdropping, I'm sure we would be dead by now.'_ "She is ready to move on, sir."

The king smiled his approval. "Good. Captain Dominic, escort the princess to her room."

As her father and Commander Jose went back into his study, Dominic signaled her to lead the way. Moving so that she could see him out of the corner of her eye, Hemera was surprised as a sense of elation started to fill her.


End file.
